Monster of Frankenstein

Frankenstein’s monster is a fictional character that first appeared in Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. In popular culture, the creature is often referred to as “Frankenstein” after the creature’s creator Victor Frankenstein, but in Shelley’s novel the creature is nameless. The novel’s title compares “Frankenstein” to the mythological figure Prometheus, because of what they both brought to life.

In Shelley’s horror story, Victor Frankenstein builds the creature in his laboratory through an ambiguous method consisting of chemistry and alchemy. Shelley describes the monster as 8-foot-tall (2.4 m), hideously ugly, but sensitive and emotional. The monster attempts to fit into human society, but is shunned, which leads him to seek revenge against his creator.